This is a collection of news about border issues, particularly those seen from Arizona and regarding the right to keep and bear arms. Sources often include Mexican media. It's often interesting to see how different the view is from the south.
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Dennis Burke, the former U.S. attorney for Arizona, has admitted he leaked a memo related to Operation Fast and Furious in a move being scrutinized by Congress and Justice Department internal investigators.Burke resigned Aug. 30 in the wake of the expanding controversy over the gun-smuggling investigation that allowed about 2,000 firearms from Phoenix-area gun shops to be smuggled into Mexico.It emerged Tuesday that on Aug. 16, two weeks before Burke resigned, he had admitted to Justice Department internal investigators that he leaked the document, which has been investigated by congressional Republicans, especially U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley.The memo has not been made public, but Grassley said it includes information critical of a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent who blew the whistle on Operation Fast and Furious. A set of talking points also accompanied the leaked memo, Grassley said."This looks like a clear and intentional violation of the Privacy Act, as well as an attempt at whistle-blower retaliation," Grassley said during a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.Later in the day, Burke's attorneys sent a letter to Cynthia Schnedar, the Justice Department's acting inspector general, and released the letter publicly. In it, Burke said a reporter contacted him and mentioned a memo written by the whistle-blower, Special Agent John Dodson."It was clear to Dennis from their conversation that the reporter had either seen the memo or had it read to him," the letter says."Dennis' intention was to give context to information that the reporter already had to explain that investigations similar to Operation Fast and Furious had been previously proposed by ATF," it goes on. "The investigation proposed by Agent Dodson was closed, and the memo did not contain any grand jury or otherwise classified information."Burke's admission did not satisfy Grassley, who put out a statement late Tuesday."The Justice Department should not be allowed to continue scapegoating the one person who has resigned," Grassley said in the statement. "We're in contact with Mr. Burke's attorneys and will continue to seek additional information about the document leak and retaliatory talking points."The exchange over the leak in Tuesday's hearing was notably halting and awkward, as Grassley and Attorney General Eric Holder acknowledged their own previous discussion of the leak, and Holder tried to avoid discussing the subject in public."In a different time in Washington. I'm not sure that information you just said would have been shared with everyone here, but so be it," Holder said.Grassley interjected: "You understand that I told you over the phone conversation that if you want me not to ask these questions, to have your staff work with my staff, and give the details so that I would know that this would be an inappropriate question to ask at this hearing."Holder responded: "There were a couple of leaks, and those leaks are under investigation by the inspector general, by the Office of Professional Responsibility, and I'm not in a position to comment on an ongoing investigation."Contact reporter Tim Steller at 807-8427 or tsteller@azstarnet.com